National award joy for popular Oldham-based chess club
Oldham-based 3Cs chess club has won the English Chess Federation's Club of the Year award for the third time, a national record. The club also achieved success in competitions, with individual players gaining international recognition and master titles. Furthermore, their founder, Steve Rigby, received a national "Points of Light" award for his voluntary work in the community, specifically for his contributions to chess.
Oldham Chess Club Makes History with Third National Club of the Year Award
The 3Cs chess club in Oldham has claimed the English Chess Federation’s 2024 Club of the Year award, becoming the first club in the award’s 40-year history to win the prestigious honor three times. Alex Longson, the Federation’s Director of Finance and a former 3Cs player himself, presented the award to club founder Steve Rigby during the club’s weekly gathering of nearly 70 members.
The recognition marks the third time 3Cs has received this national honor, having previously won in 2006 and 2014. No other chess club in England has managed to secure the award more than once since its establishment in 1984.
The past year proved exceptional for the club both on and off the chessboard. 3Cs captured the National Cup - considered the chess equivalent of football’s FA Cup - while also securing their 90th trophy in Manchester Chess League competition. Two young players earned international recognition, and two members achieved Candidate Master status.
The club’s visibility extended beyond tournament halls when they appeared on BBC One’s primetime program “The One Show,” bringing national attention to their activities. The year’s crowning achievement came when Steve Rigby, who established 3Cs in 1978 and continues as its driving force, received the Prime Minister’s “Points of Light” award from Rishi Sunak for voluntary community service - becoming the first person ever honored nationally for contributions to chess.
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